This week we explore a Stoic response to moral panic, the feeling of being pulled between care for yourself, care for others, and care for the world. Christopher Gill argues that Stoicism helps by aiming at consistency, or “joined-up living,” rather than guilt or overload.

The Stoics begin with two basic human motives: care for self and care for others. Gill cautions against reading these as egoism versus altruism. In Stoic ethics, both are natural and morally neutral; they become good only when shaped by virtue. Caring well means choosing and acting with wisdom, justice, courage, and moderation.

On this view, care for self and care for others are interdependent, not competing. You cannot live well in isolation, and care without judgment easily goes astray.

Gill then extends this framework to environmental responsibility. Although the ...